SECTIONAL TRANSACTIONS.— A. 313 



nieans, but he would be the first to admit that he does so only in default of 

 better information. This country is far behind many others in the systematic 

 collection of stream-flow and underground-water records. 



It is not sufficient to leave the matter to private enterprise, which usually 

 has in view only particular purposes in particular areas. What is wanted is 

 (a) continuity and (b) records under different topographical and geological 

 conditions in all parts of the country, where they are likely to serve ultimately 

 some practical purpose . The longer are the records prior to their application , 

 the more certainly will they promote development on the most economical 

 lines. 



It is suggested that the Geological Survey (as in the United States) would 

 be the most appropriate department to organise the work, being almost 

 exclusively a fact-finding organisation and independent of any direct interest 

 to which the information would ultimately be put. This department has 

 already issued many valuable Water Supply Memoirs. 



Vice-Admiral H. P. Douglas, C.B., C.M.G. 



There is no doubt that some form of organisation for the survey of water 

 resources would be most useful, and in the long run economical. The 

 present somewhat haphazard way of obtaining information is obviously not 

 satisfactory, for should it be required at some future time it is doubtful 

 whether it would be readily available, or perhaps even not be recorded. 



As regards the Hydrographic Department and the Surveying Service of 

 the Navy in respect of observations, a considerable amount has been done 

 in the course of the survey of the river Tees, and a discussion on the data 

 obtained has already been published by the Department of Scientific and 

 Industrial Research. If other water-flow observations are required by us, 

 it is an easy matter for the surveyor to obtain them as needed, and, naturally, 

 a record is kept in the Hydrographic Department. 



Should such an organisation as that visualised by Capt. McClean be set 

 up, it is thought that one of its first duties should be to collect all data 

 available from the various departments which could provide them, these 

 being added to or checked if necessary from local organisations. 

 <,. It does not appear that there would be any difficulty for the hydrographic 

 surveyor and the Ordnance Survey to carry out such measurements, but it 

 would certainly mean increases in staflF, although possibly this would be a 

 cheaper way of tackling the problem than the organisation suggested 

 having its own surveyors. Moreover, local bodies could probably provide 

 the data required from their own surveyors more cheaply than the organisa- 

 tion, so that all that would be needed is a central organisation of comparatively 

 small size to collect, organise and supervise. 



Mr. W. T. Halcrow. 



The author agrees with Capt. McClean that it would be of great 

 assistance to all waterworks and hydro-electric engineers were reliable 

 records of stream flow available throughout the country. 

 ' A great deal of information exists with respect to rivers already utilised 

 for water undertakings, but this is not usually available to all engineers. 

 What is more important is that a record should be kept of the flows of 

 rivers which may be utilised in the future. 



As a hydro-electric engineer, the author has been impressed by the 

 amount of data which has frequently been placed at his disposal in foreign 

 countries, the records of river discharge having been kept, in some cases, 

 for many years, although no development has materialised. 



